Lavandula plant named ‘Silver Dark Anouk’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Lavandula  plant named ‘Silver Dark Anouk’, characterized by its compact, upright to somewhat outwardly spreading plant habit; freely branching growth habit; silvery grey-colored leaves; freely flowering habit; dark purple-colored flowers and dark purplish red-colored terminal flower bracts positioned on strong and erect peduncles; long flowering period; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Lavandula stoechas.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SILVER DARK ANOUK’.

STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY APPLICANT

An European Plant Breeder's Rights application for the instant plant was filed by the Applicant on Jun. 30, 2022, application number 2022/1625. Foreign priority is not claimed to this application.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct Lavandula plant, botanically known as Lavandula stoechas, commonly referred to as Lavender and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Silver Dark Anouk’.

The new Lavandula plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Boskoop, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program was to develop new unique Lavandula plants with good performance and attractive plant fotm and flower coloration.

The new Lavandula is a naturally-occurring branch mutation of ‘Anouk Deluxe 173’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 28,850. The new Lavandula plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor on a single flowering plant from within a large population of plants of ‘Anouk Deluxe 173’ in a controlled environment in Boskoop, The Netherlands in 2018.

Asexual reproduction of the new Lavandula plant by terminal cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Boskoop, The Netherlands since September, 2018 has shown that the unique features of this new Lavandula plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Lavandula have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of the new Lavandula plant. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Silver Dark Anouk’ as a new and distinct Lavandula plant:

-   -   1. Compact, upright to somewhat outwardly spreading plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching growth habit.     -   3. Silvery grey-colored leaves.     -   4. Freely flowering habit.     -   5. Dark purple-colored flowers and dark purplish red-colored         terminal flower bracts positioned on strong and erect peduncles.     -   6. Long flowering period.     -   7. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Lavandula differ primarily from plants of the mutation parent, ‘Anouk Deluxe 173’, primarily in leaf color as plants have silvery grey-colored leaves whereas plants of ‘Anouk Deluxe 173’ have greyish green-colored leaves.

Plants of the new Lavandula can be compared to plants of the Lavandula stoechas ‘Silver Anouk’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 20,068. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Lavandula differ primarily from plants of ‘Silver Anouk’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Lavandula are more compact and more upright         than plants of ‘Silver Anouk’.     -   2. Plants of the new Lavandula have darker purplish red-colored         terminal flower bracts than plants of ‘Silver Anouk’.     -   3. Plants of the new Lavandula will rebloom whereas plants of         ‘Silver Anouk Deluxe’ rarely rebloom.

Plants of the new Lavandula can also be compared to plants of the Lavandula stoechas ‘Anouk Deluxe 169’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 28,851. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Lavandula differ primarily from plants of ‘Anouk Deluxe 169’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Lavandula have silvery grey-colored leaves         whereas plants of ‘Anouk Deluxe 169’ have greyish green-colored         leaves.     -   2. Plants of the new Lavandula have dark purplish red-colored         terminal flower bracts whereas plants of ‘Anouk Deluxe 169’ have         red purple to purple-colored terminal flower bracts.     -   3. Plants of the new Lavandula will rebloom whereas plants of         ‘Anouk Deluxe 169’ rarely rebloom.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Lavandula plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Lavandula plant.

The photograph on the first sheet (FIG. 1 ) is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Silver Dark Anouk’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet (FIG. 2 ) is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Silver Dark Anouk’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used in the aforementioned photographs and following detailed description were grown in 22-cm containers during the spring and early summer in an outdoor nursery in Boskoop, The Netherlands and under cultural practices typical of commercial Lavandula production. Plants were pinched one time and were ten months old when the photographs and description were taken. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 10C to 30C and night temperatures ranged from 5C to 20C. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except where general tetms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Lavandula stoechas ‘Silver Dark Anouk’. -   Parentage: Naturally-occurring branch mutation of ‘Anouk Deluxe     173’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 28,850. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer and winter.—About ten days at             temperatures about 18C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 60 days             at temperatures about 20C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 70 days             at temperatures about 20C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; initially white in color             and becoming more brown with development; actual color of             the roots is dependent on substrate composition, water             quality, fertilizer type and fotmulation.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial; compact,             upright to somewhat outwardly spreading plant habit;             flattened globular in overall plant shape; freely branching             habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; moderate growth             rate; flowers arranged in verticillasters on crowded spikes             with showy terminal flower bracts.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of foliar plane.—About 20.2             cm.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of floral plane.—About 26.1             cm.         -   Plant width.—About 25.6 cm.         -   Lateral branch description.—Quantity per plant: About 32             primary lateral branches each with about two or three             secondary lateral branches developing per plant; pinching             enhances branching potential. Length: About 9.9 cm.             Diameter: About 2.5 mm. Internode length: About 1.5 cm.             Strength: Moderately strong. Aspect: Primary lateral             branches, upright to about 40 degrees from vertical;             secondary lateral branches, about 35 degrees from primary             lateral branch axis. Texture and luster: Densely tomentose;             matte. Color, when developing: Close to 145B. Color,             developed: Close to 146D densely covered with tomentose             pubescence, close to 193A to 193B; with development, close             to 199B and N199C.         -   Leaf description.—Arrangement: Opposite, simple; sessile.             Length: About 3.1 cm. Width: About 6 mm. Shape: Oblanceolate             to narrowly oblong. Apex: Acute. Base: Cuneate. Margin:             Entire; moderately revolute; not lobed. Texture and luster,             upper surface: Densely tomentose; not rugose; matte. Texture             and luster, lower surface: Densely tomentose; slightly             rugose; matte. Fragrance: Strongly aromatic, pungent.             Venation pattern: Pinnate. Color: Developing leaves, upper             surface: Close to 138B. Developing leaves, lower surface:             Close to 138C. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close             to 191A; venation, close to 193B. Fully expanded leaves,             lower surface: Close to 191B; venation, close to 192B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type, arrangement and habit.—Small single salverform             flowers arranged in compact verticillasters on crowded             terminal spikes; freely flowering, about 100 flowers             developing per inflorescence and about 6,000 flowers             developing per plant; flowers with two-lobed upper lip and             three-lobed lower lip; flowers face mostly outwardly on the             spike; inflorescences with showy terminal flower bracts.         -   Natural flowering season.—Long flowering period; continuous             from late spring into the summer in The Netherlands; plants             reblooming for about ten weeks.         -   Flower longevity on the plant.—Individual flowers last about             four weeks on the plant; flowers not persistent.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 7 mm. Diameter: About 1.75 mm.             Shape: Oblong. Texture and luster: Densely tomentose; matte.             Color: Close to 200A; proximally, close to 145B.         -   Inflorescence size.—Height, including terminal flower             bracts: About 5.1 cm. Height, excluding terminal flower             bracts: About 3.2 cm. Diameter, at terminal flower bracts:             About 2.1 cm. Diameter, below flower bracts: About 1.8 cm.         -   Flower size.—Diameter: About 4 mm by 4.5 mm. Depth (height):             About 9 mm. Throat diameter: About 1 mm. Tube length: About             6 mm. Tube diameter: About 1.1 mm.         -   Petals.—Quantity and arrangement: Upper lip, two-lobed and             lower lip, three-lobed. Length, upper lip: About 2 mm.             Length, lower lip: About 1.5 mm. Width, upper lip: About             1.5 mm. Width, lower lip: About 1 mm. Shape: Roughly             spatulate; lower 75% fused into a tube. Apex: Obtuse.             Margin: Entire; moderately undulate. Texture and luster,             upper surface: Smooth, glabrous; moderately velvety; not             rugose; matte. Texture and luster, lower surface: Smooth,             glabrous; slightly velvety; not rugose; matte. Texture,             throat: Smooth, glabrous; slightly velvety. Texture, tube:             Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening, upper and lower             surfaces: Close to N186B. Fully opened, upper and lower             surfaces: Close to N186B; venation, close to N186B; color             does not change with subsequent development. Throat: Close             to N92A; venation, close to N92A. Tube: Close to 86A fading             proximally to close to 85D; venation, claose to 86A and 85D.         -   Terminal flower bracts.—Quantity and arrangement: About four             to six positioned mostly upright at inflorescence apex.             Length: About 2 cm. Width: About 6.5 mm. Shape: Obovate to             oblanceolate; slightly to moderately concave. Apex: Bluntly             acute. Base: Narrowly acuminate. Margin: Entire; moderately             undulate. Texture and luster, upper surface: Sparsely             tomentose; matte. Texture and luster, lower surface: Densely             tomentose; matte. Color, upper surface: Close to a blend of             N77A and N77B; midvein, close to 200A. Color, lower surface:             Close to N77A; midvein, close to 200A.         -   Basal flower bracts.—Quantity and arrangement: Each group of             five flowers is subtended by a single basal flower bract.             Length: About 9 mm. Width: About 8 mm. Shape: Broadly             rhomboidal. Apex: Abruptly acute. Base: Acuminate. Margin:             Entire to irregularly ciliate. Texture and luster, upper             surface: Moderately tomentose; slightly glossy. Texture and             luster, lower surface: Densely tomentose; matte. Color,             upper surface: Close to 200C; venation, close to 146A and             147B. Color, lower surface: Close to N186C; venation, close             to 200A.         -   Sepals.—Quantity and arrangement: Five, fused into a             campanulate tube. Calyx length: About 5 mm. Calyx diameter:             About 2 mm. Length: About 5 mm. Width: About 0.75 mm. Shape:             Linear. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture and luster,             upper surface: Smooth, glabrous; glossy. Texture and luster,             lower surface: Densely tomentose; matte. Color: When opening             and fully opened, upper surface: Close to 147C and apex,             close to 200A; venation, close to 183A. When opening and             fully opened, lower surface: Close to 145A and distally,             close to N186C.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 6.7 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Aspect: Mostly upright. Strength: Strong. Texture and             luster: Densely tomentose; matte. Color: Close to 146B and             193A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Four.             Filament length: About 1 mm. Filament color: Close to 86B.             Anther shape: Short oblong; dorsifixed. Anther size: About             0.75 mm by 0.75 mm. Anther color: Close to 161D. Pollen             amount: Scarce. Pollen color: Close to 16B. Pistils:             Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About 4 mm. Stigma             shape: Club-shaped. Stigma diameter: About 0.3 mm. Stigma             color: Close to N186B. Style length: About 3.7 mm. Style             color: Close to 85C. Ovary color: Close to 146C.         -   Seeds and fruits.—To date, seed and fruit production has not             been observed on plants of the new Lavandula. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Lavandula     have not been noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Lavandula plants. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Lavandula have exhibited good     tolerance to rain and wind and have been observed to tolerate     temperatures from about 1C to about 40C and to be suitable for USDA     Hardiness Zones 7 to 10. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Lavandula plant named ‘Silver Dark Anouk’ as illustrated and described. 